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Tech firms in the construction space often join forces to marry their niche solutions with other technologies and provide more comprehensive and interoperable tools. Every few weeks, Construction Dive provides a roundup of the most recent mergers, acquisitions and integrations in the construction technology space. To view the entire series, click here.

AECOM, Arrow push for digital transformation

After more than a year of collaboration on smart cities initiatives across the U.S., AECOM and Arrow Electronics have announced a formal partnership to “help meet head-on the growing demand for development of Smart City and digital transformation initiatives,” said Kirk Rabius, vice president of asset advisory within AECOM’s design and consulting services, in a recent announcement.

The partners aim to scale the use of emerging technologies like AI, “big data,” analytics and the internet of things within its customer bases in order to revamp asset infrastructure and drive productivity. The companies are positioning themselves and their clients for “the impending tsunami of global digital transformation initiatives,” Aiden Mitchell, Arrow’s vice president and general manager of IoT global solutions, said in the press release.

InEight acquires AI scheduling tool

Basis AI is specifically geared for large capital projects, according to the companies’ announcement, and is intended to supplement existing critical path method (CPM) scheduling tools. The software reportedly learns from past outcomes and team members’ expert opinions to make informed suggestions regarding project schedules. Technology users spend 40% less time creating schedules, the companies said, and 75% less time collecting team feedback.

Prophix president and COO AlokAjmera said in a press release that the CPM tool is aimed at helping Viewpoint customers “accurately and collaboratively budget and forecast.” The combined solutions, according to the companies, allow users to forecast across departments using data from multiple sources, build cash flows spanning departments or projects, and view financial data in real time.

ArchiCAD, Solibri Model Checker now interoperable

Graphisoft, maker of BIM and CAD software ArchiCAD, partnered with Solibri to link its program to the Solibri Model Checker (SMC) product, according to a jointly issued press release. Previously, Solibri users had to complete their model before checking for its structural integrity within SMC. With the new interoperability, the ArchiCAD menu includes an SMC icon that allows users to directly import their BIM model to review at any stage in the design process.

“Having access to Solibri’s unique rule-based Quality Control technology in such a smoothly integrated way will help our customers deliver better designs in a shorter amount of time,” said Peter Temesvári, director of product management at Graphisoft, in the announcement.